There has been developed a probe memory for recording data onto a recording medium or reproducing the data recorded on the recording medium with each of a plurality of probes by displacing the recording medium along a recording surface of the recording medium with respect to a probe array including the plurality of probes. In such a probe memory, a position of the probe array with respect to the recording medium (in other words, a positional relationship between the probe array and the recording medium) is detected with e.g. a capacitance type position sensor mounted on a stage, which carries the recording medium. That is, the position of the probe array with respect to the recording medium is detected by detecting the amount of displacement of the recording medium with the position sensor. Then, each of the plurality of probes is displaced to a desired position on the recording medium on the basis of the detected position, to thereby record or reproduce the data. In each of the probes, a scanning limit (scanning range) on the recording medium is determined by a stroke of an actuator for displacing the recording medium.
As described above, in order to detect the position of the probe array with respect to the recording medium by detecting the amount of displacement of the recording medium, it is necessary to record in advance a signal for indicating a reference position on the recording medium. That is, since a position at which the signal for indicating the reference position is detected with the probe is used as an original point in detecting the amount of displacement of the recording medium is by the position sensor and the amount of displacement of the recording medium is detected, it is possible to detect the position of the probe array with respect to the recording medium. One example of a method of controlling a driving stage on the apparatus using the probes described above is disclosed in a patent document 1.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Hei 5-334737